Sony PS-4750 direct drive punt

[HighFidelityGuy]

I've just purchased a vintage 70's Sony PS-4750 (http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-4750.html) off eBay. I wasn't really looking for a TT but I stumbled across this at what seemed like a reasonable price of £165. I thought it looked interesting with it's substantial looking plinth and other nice sounding features, so I took a punt. It also comes with a Sure M75ED Type2 cartridge.

I know very little about TT's in general so I have no idea if this is a particular good model compared to alternatives from Technics or Pioneer etc so I'd be interested to hear any opinions or advice from anyone that has any experience with this model. From what I've read online it seems like this model was quite near the top of Sony's TT range but not right at the top and it was allegedly from the well respected Esprit range but I haven't confirmed that yet.

So I'm looking forward to it arriving so I can have a tinker. I currently have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it's aesthetics based of on the photo's I've seen. I love the simple understated quality of the design but I hate the odd brown/silver paint finish that adorned so many electrical items of the period. I think I'll get used to the latter though.

I'll probably need some advice on cartridge/headshell choice and general setup when it arrives. I have a few choices stashed away but I can't remember what they are at the moment. :o I'll find out ASAP.

So what do you think? Have I bought a lemon, a rare gem, or perhaps just a mediocre vinyl spinner? :confused:

Here's some nice photo's: LINK (http://www.audio-extasa.eu/popup_add_image.php?pID=1420)

[DSJR]

Clean the suction discs (:eyebrows:), fit a Pickering V15-VE (and donate the M75-ED to me ;)), site carefully, removing the lid when playing, buy a copy of Truth by Jeff Beck, turn up the volume and GRIN from ear to ear :gig:

I loved this deck, although Technics had a bit of a stranglehold in our shop. Don't worry though, you may just have a killer there - I do hope so :lol:

[RobbieGong]

Yes, A nice deck especially for the money. I'd go for a reasonably priced mm like one of the Ortofon 2M's ie: red or blue (I had the blue before upgrading to the black and it was very good). I'm sure there are a few moving coils that dont cost silly money, that will also sing on it. Not had experience but the guys here know quite a bit about the denon 103's which apparently like a heavyish arm / headshell to make them sing but said to be well worth it.
Your deck looks as though it was lower down the range but still nice. The one I'm aware of (and would like) which audiophiles still seek out is the daddy of the range PS 8750
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EXgDI8DeN_E/S56rAO2Vz2I/AAAAAAAAFxc/9HkFtphNycY/s1600-h/SonyPS8750-090617-685.jpeg

Said to be genuinely 'audiophile' and a very good deck indeed. One in top order will go for £500 - £700 depending on condition and whether it still has all the bits and bobs that it came with - Lovely !! :)

[DSJR]

Sorry guys, the 8750 was IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEAGUE to the lesser models in the range and easily outperformed a Linn/Grace combo at the time. It lacked the charm and brand-loyalty that Linn was rapidly accumulating at thre time though and, being a Jap product, had a very limited lifespan sadly.

The Ortofons should be a fine match I think, as will their slightly cheaper 510 ans OM10 (on fleabay anyway).

[HighFidelityGuy]

Thanks for the comments guys. These are the parts I currently have available to pair with the PS-4750:

Cartridges:

Audio Technica AT120e
Nagaoka MP-11 Boron
Sure M75ED Type2

Headshells:

Audio Technica LS-12
ADC LMG-1 Magnesium
Standard Technics SL1200 style

Phonostages:

NAD PP2
Edwards Audio MC 1

Could anyone recommend a good combination of those? :cool:

[Hypnotoad]

Sony made some good tables, I have a PSX-500 Biotracer fitted with a Benz Micro Ace in my bedroom system and it sounds great.

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww297/Hypnotoady_photos/SonyPSX500.jpg

[DSJR]

To start with, I'd try the AT120E in the standard Techie shell to start with I think. The M75-ED may be better if it's a very clean and tidy one, and an HE or SAS stylus would lift it well clear of the others, but the Nagaoka may prefer a lower mass arm - possibly....

To me, the NAD PP2 is a bit too rounded in tone and I do think you can do better these days. New ones cost a bit, but the Rega Fono was always good (I think the Fono Mini's gone now unless you can find one on ebay). I haven't personally heard the Angle Audio one, but the basic wall-wart model may be excellent with potential to improve with a better supply..

[StanleyB]

I did have a PS-6750, which is a very good deck and worth looking out for.

[Beobloke]

I did have a PS-6750, which is a very good deck and worth looking out for.

I couldn't agree more.

As a little "celebration" for my good sales at the Audiojumble a few weeks ago, I came straight home, switched the computer on and treated myself to an item that I knew was ending very soon and which I had been eyeing up very closely, namely a very tidy Sony PS-6750.

It turned out to be a one-owner-from-new unit being sold by a very nice gent prior to a house move, came complete with a healthy Shure V15III and is absolutely immaculate, if a trifle dusty! It's actually surprising how much technology it shares with the PS-8750 and yet they generally sell for around half the price of the latter. Also it is a manual unit, whereas the 8750 has auto-stop, therefore it surely must be better! ;)

[StanleyB]

There are a set of alignment tools hidden within the PS-6750 case according to the manual, but I can't remember ever finding it. Get some bearing oil and damper fluid before you do anything else. After all those years I am sure they need attention. The dust cover is anti-static by the way. Doesn't attract dust:).

[HighFidelityGuy]

Thanks for the comments everyone. :)

The TT arrived today and seems to have survived transit reasonably well. One of the feet is cracked, so I may look at replacing all of them with a modern alternative but I'm not too worried at the moment. My main concern is the speed stability. Doing a rough check with the on-board strobe the platter speed seems to be bouncing around a bit, especially on the 33 setting. So it seems the deck will need some attention to it's electronics or bearings, or both. The platter also seems to wobble very slightly but that may be the speed instability playing tricks on my eyes.

So I'll take the bottom off and have a look inside to see what state the electronics are in. I'm guessing some caps may need replacing and possibly the speed trim pots and stuff like like. Hopefully nothing major will need doing. :)

EDIT: I forgot to mention; I also realised that there is a rubber washer missing from the centre of the platter that holds the vinyl at the correct hight, so I'll need to find something to replace that. It probably won't matter initially but I won't be able to use a record weight/clamp until that's sorted.

[DSJR]

I used the soft ring that comes in CD-R stacks and that works well I found...

The speed-pots will need a clean with Servisol switch cleaner-lubricant (wot I used on both my techies and it sorted them out easily). I doubt there'll be much more needed with any luck.

[HighFidelityGuy]

I used the soft ring that comes in CD-R stacks and that works well I found...

The speed-pots will need a clean with Servisol switch cleaner-lubricant (wot I used on both my techies and it sorted them out easily). I doubt there'll be much more needed with any luck.

Thanks for the advice Dave.
I've ordered some Servisol and I've found one of those foam rings from a stack of CD-R's which I'll try out. :cool:

[Beobloke]

There are a set of alignment tools hidden within the PS-6750 case according to the manual, but I can't remember ever finding it.

Apologies for hi-jacking Dave's thread again, but just to say I opened up my PS-6750 a few nights ago to give it a bit of a Servisol-ing and there were no alignment tools hidden inside. I was very disappointed!